********* Spoilers ahead**********
The movie is set somwhere between the events of Road Warrior and Thunderdome although the time frame for any of those movies has never been solid but if your keen you can pick up hints and nodds that help you place it. The thing is Max's character blunders into this movie and you couldnt even call him the central character yet with that said he still is awesome and plays well off Furiosa but I'll get that later. Furiosa Charlize Therons character is on the run from wasteland warlord Immortan Joe who's wives he's stolen. Max is like a shaggy stray dog ends up becoming part of this dysfunctional family if we shall call it that. At first not wanting anything to really do with them but over time his feral side is shaken away and he slowly learns what it is to be part of the human race again.
Tom Hardy is fucking awesome as Max and he plays him so well. A character with multi layers but does to his feral loner state Hardy has to use limited dialogue and gestures to convey this. At the start when he escapes the war boys and confronts Furiosa and the wives his like a wild dog or wolf muttering in grunts and growls..his eyes darting back and fort as he wields his iconic sawen-off double barrel. Even when he does speak Hardy shows use that Max voice is somewhat husking from lack of conversation and at times when he speaks it show he has trouble conversing with others. As I pointed out Max is some what cold and uncaring but after his encounter with the war boys could you blame him. He could have killed Nux for strapping him to his car but do's not being sharp enough to know hes was just a kid was been brainwashed like the rest of the war boys. Later even shows Nux some compassion in two instances. When he kills the Bullitfarmers men he brings Nux back a spare boot and later when Nux is spitting nitro into the war rigs engine and starts to get sick Max takes over for him. Little things like these didnt go unnoticed buy me and really help make the character.
Charlize Therons Furiosa Character does steal the show but I wouldnt agree that she steal the movie fully from max but does push him back some what. Her character up there with the likes of Ellen Ripely and Sarah Conner for best female action hero. Shes a female version of Max with one difference and this is the thing that stops Max from being redundant. She has not be fully broken by the world she lives in ....she seeks hope and redemption. Max has lost these but sees their still burning bright in Furiosa and decides to help her and prevent her turning into him. As he says himself "If you dont fix whats broken you'll go...mad!"
This line sums up Max, he's been down that road and lost it all. He see a chance at some redemption for himself and making sure theres still some hope left in the world.
The movie stunts are amazing and granted CG was used in removing wires and one other fantastic scene but it still looks beautiful.The movie is basically one massive chase. The car designs and costumes are wildly over the top and look like something ripped out of a 2000A.D or Heavy Metal comic which is no suprise as the awesomely talented comic book artist Brendan McCarthy whose also wrote some of the story designed the look of the film.
I could go on and on about the movie till the cows come home but I dont wanna spoil anymore of it. With that if you ask me this could be one of the last great action movies before the movieplexs are drowned with even more mind numbing Fast and Furious and Michael Bay movies. I've seen this movie three times and love it and urge anyone who see this review to check it out.
